In the traffic court of a large Midwestern City a young lady was brought before the judge to answer for a ticket given to her for running a red light. She explained to the judge that she was a school teacher and requested an immediate disposal of her case so she could get to school on time. All of a sudden the judge began grinning from ear to ear.
The judge said: "So, you're a schoolteacher, huh? Well, Ma'am, I finally get to realize one of my lifelong dreams. I've waited years for the opportunity to have schoolteacher in my court. Sit down at that table and write: 'I will not run red lights' 500 times!" (1)
This past week, the kids of the SOS Club put me on a week-long treasure hunt. They drew elaborate treasure maps with cryptic clues which lead me each day to some new treasure. One of the treasures I found was this little book titled: The World's Greatest Collection of Clean Jokes by Bob Phillips. I told the kids I would use at least one of the jokes today.
That joke, couples with today's Scripture, got me to thinking. Is there something in your life that you've always wanted but still haven't realized yet? Do you have some unfulfilled dream or wish? Some longing that you've never acted upon?
Bartimaeus, the character in the Scripture for today certainly did. As we will see as we read the passage from Mark, Bartimaeus wanted his sight back. Let's look at the passage that describes his encounter with Christ.
Mark 10:46-52 (NRSV)
[46] They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.
[47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
[48] Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
[49] Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."
[50] So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
[51] Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."
[52] Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
"Rabbi, I want to see again!" Such a simple request, such a simple desire. It was one that drove Bartimaeus' life. Apparently, once upon a time, he could see. But blindness had set in, either from an accident or illness, and his life and livelihood had been stolen from him so that the only way he could survive was to sit at the gate in Jericho and beg.
In my studies and research this week I discovered a couple of interesting things. Bartimaeus literally means "son of Timaeus." But it also has a couple of other meanings. In Latin it means: "son of fear." In Chaldean it means: "son of the unclean." But in Aramaic it means: "son of the precious, or worthy one" and is probably best translated as "son of honor."
Then there's the title Bartimaeus keeps using when he addresses Jesus, "Son of David." That was one of traditional titles used for the Messiah. It means "son of the beloved" or "beloved son of God."
How cool is that. Look at all the imagery and irony just in the names. The "son of the beloved" is leaving Jericho followed by his disciples and a crowd. On the way out he encounters a blind beggar, this "son of fear," this "son of the unclean" who cries out to Him, "Messiah, beloved son of God. Have mercy on me!" At first Jesus doesn't hear this "son of the unclean."
Either that or Jesus let's everyone else hear what only this blind beggar can see. "Messiah, beloved son of God. Have mercy on me!"
Jesus calls him over and asks him what he wants. This "son of the unclean" wants to see again. With only a word, Jesus transforms this blind beggar from this "son of the unclean" to a "son of honor." This "beloved son of God" restores this "son of honor's" sight and place in society.
And this "son of honor" then becomes an eager follower. He experiences a "FAST FORWARD FAITH." Why? Because he had FAITH ENOUGH TO ASK, FAITH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE AND FAITH ENOUGH TO FOLLOW.
I. Faith Enough To Ask
Bartimaeus had faith enough to ask. Some of the people in the crowd thought Bartimaeus was rather FORWARD in hollering and trying to get Jesus' attention. They didn't like that forward behavior or attitude. But his forwardness gave him the faith to ask. And sometimes, that's all we need.
Have you ever wanted something but were afraid to ask or you didn't work up courage to ask or didn't ask because you didn't think you'd get it? My Dad was a little different. He wasn't anywhere near the TV standard of Jim Anderson and Ward Cleaver. He wasn't even like Raymond or Heathcliff Huxtable. He was just different. Sometimes he was like Tim Taylor and occasionally like Roseanne. He was different. I tell you that because of a disappointment I have in my life.
In the mid sixties, my brother in law, Kenny, decided that he was going to take up the guitar so he bought him a Gibson Hollow body electric guitar, amplifier and a couple of pedals. It was really cool. I got to mess around with it whenever I baby sat for my nephews and niece. However, Kenny's fascination with the guitar lasted about 6 months.
Unbeknownst to me, my Dad talked Kenny into letting him have it to give to me. But Dad didn't tell me that. He told me that he brought the guitar to sell for Kenny. I never really figured out how my Dad thought, somehow Dad expected me to know that the guitar was really for me. All I had to do was ask if I could have it.
But I didn't know that. Dad was so inconsistent in how he did things. And you never knew what would make him mad, so, I didn't ask for it. I didn't tell him I was interested, I thought I'd get in trouble. I could do that walking from across the room minding my own business. So, I didn't ask, what was the use. I wasn't going to get it anyway. After a couple of months, Dad sold the guitar.
A few years ago I found out that all I had to do was ask. If I had simply asked, that guitar would still be mine. I didn't have FAITH ENOUGH TO ASK.
But Bartimaeus did. Bartimaeus had faith enough to ask.
God's love is consistent. God always loves us, no matter what. God is always willing to transform our names and our lives into "sons and daughters of honor," "sons and daughters of the beloved." All we need is FAITH ENOUGH TO ASK.
II. Faith Enough To Believe
The second quality Bartimaeus had was faith enough to believe.
Bartimaeus had faith enough to believe that Jesus could and would heal him and restore his sight.
Fred Craddock tells the story of serving in an area where all the local pastors rotated turns as chaplain at the small thirty bed area hospital. During one of his turns, a baby was born. He went to the hospital and encountered a whole family of folks gathered around the window of the nursery looking at the baby.
He met the father who looked sort of worried and anxious and dumbstruck all at the same time. You know that new father look. The baby's name was Elizabeth. As they looked at the baby, she started to squirm and scream. The father looked worried so Dr. Craddock said something about the baby not being sick but just clearing out her lungs like all newborns do.
The father said, "Oh, I know she's not sick. But she's mad as the devil."
That took Dr. Craddock back a little and he asked, "Why's she mad?"
The father said, "Well, wouldn't you be mad. One minute you're with God in heaven and the next minute you're in Georgia."
Dr. Craddock asked, "You believe she was with God before she came here?"
The father said, "Oh, Yeah."
Then Craddock asked, "You think she'll remember?"
And he said, "Well, that's up to her mother and me. It's up to the church. We've got to see that she remembers, 'cause if she forgets, she's a goner." (2)
Bartimaeus never forgot whose he was or where he came from. Everyone else around him might have forgotten and treated him like an outcast, but he knew he still belonged to God. He remembered. Bartimaeus remembered and because he remembered, he had faith enough to believe.
We should never forget that we belong to God. Jesus promised, "I will not leave you orphaned." God said, "I will not leave you nor forsake you." Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." We called to Remember and HAVE FAITH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE.
III. Faith Enough To Follow
Finally, Bartimaeus had faith enough to follow.
So many of the healing stories end with the person healed returning home to live a normal life. That's not bad, that's what Jesus wanted. But Bartimaeus was so moved that he immediately chose to be a follower.
He was fast to follow. He didn't hesitate at all. Jumped right up and jumped right in. He saw the light, felt the faith, and fast forwarded his faith to become a follower.
Bill and Jill were a young couple who lived down the street from us. Jill's whole family was active in the church. Bill hadn't grown up in the church. Wasn't real excited about coming and only came because Jill wanted him to but he never joined the church. He'd rather be fishing or hunting. And most Sunday's he was.
We'd talked on numerous occasions. We even went fishing together a couple of times and had long talks about faith and beliefs. I could tell bill was becoming sort of interested because of the friendship that had developed between us.
That church celebrated its 110th anniversary while I was there and we planned a big shebang. We even invited back a retired minister who had been pastor there 50 years before. He preached our homecoming service.
I have never heard a sermon like that before. The place was packed. Before he began, he told all of us, that he had been wrestling with God over what to preach. Then he pulled out his sermon notes, tore them up and told us God had instructed him to preach from his heart.
That was at 11:30 am. His sermon was so moving and so engaging that no one noticed the time. It was 12:45 when he gave an invitation for everyone who wanted to rededicate their lives or to accept Christ as Lord and Savior to stand.
I had been watching the congregation and had seen how everyone was so totally focused. We all felt God's presence. But none more so than Bill. He leaped up, like he was in a race. He was champing at the bit to come forward. But then this retired minister did something different. He told the congregation that because he had preached so long, he wasn't going to make an alter call that day. Instead he wanted them all to come back next Sunday and for me to make that altar call.
All week long I tried to get with Bill to see what was going on. And maybe give a little guidance or advice. But I never caught him at home. But the next week, the church was packed. And when I finished my sermon, I gave that altar call. You would have thought that Bill had rockets on his shoes or the pew was spring loaded. Because I no sooner started to give the call than Bill was on his way down the aisle. And the surprising thing was that no one else came. At first.
Bill fell on his knees and said with a loud joyous voice and tears in his eyes, "I want Jesus as my Savior. And I want to live a life worthy of Him. Will you let me? Will you baptize me?"
Will I let you? I couldn't have stopped him if I had tried. About that time everyone else started coming down, either to rededicate themselves or to accept Christ for the first time. I baptized Bill and a couple of others that day.
And we all saw Bill's FAITH FAST FORWARD that day because like Bartimaeus he HAD FAITH ENOUGH TO FOLLOW.
Conclusion
How about you? Where is there blindness in your life? Where do you need new vision? Where do you need to have your faith fast forwarded? Where do you need to experience the sunrise of a brand new day?
"Jesus, Messiah, beloved son of God. Have mercy on me!" All you need is a little faith.
FAITH ENOUGH TO ASK,
FAITH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE,
AND FAITH ENOUGH TO FOLLOW.
1. Phillips, Bob, World's Greatest Collection of Clean Jokes, (Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 1998) p. 19.
2. Craddock, Fred B. Craddock Stories, (Chalice Press: St. Louis, MO, 2001) pp. 126-127.